Re: Folder Redirection Group Policy for My Documents

From: Dmitry Korolyov [MVP] (d__k_at_removethispart.mail.ru)
Date: 03/31/04 

Date: Thu, 1 Apr 2004 00:21:19 +0400

You should not redirect folders to mapped network drives. Folder redirection
processing occurs before network drives are being mapped, and that's why it
will not work this way. Just use plain unc paths (preferrably with DFS). 

-- 
Dmitry Korolyov [d__k@removethispart.mail.ru]
MVP: Windows Server - Active Directory
  "Martin Healy" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message 
news:16b3701c41748$99e62ee0$a101280a@phx.gbl...
  My problem is that I can't create a Group Policy on the
  domain network that will redirect a user's My Documents
  folder to the user's home directory on the server.  I am
  using Windows 2003 Server operating system.  The client
  machines are using Windows 2000 professional.  The My
  Documents Redirection policy is extremely useful as it
  backs up data to a central location on the server and it
  gives the user the illusion that the data is stored
  locally in My Documents.  Anyway, I would like to get this
  working as it would prove very useful for a project
  demonstration.  I used the following steps below in
  attempt to implement this folder redirection policy.
  Step 1  On the Windows 2003 Server Domain Controller, I
  logged in as Administrator and created a test user account
  with a username of mhealy in Active Directory.
  Step 2 Then I created a Home Directory on the root of
  drive D on the Server.  I shared the folder and provided
  all users (everyone) with Full Control Permission to this
  folder.
  Step 3 Then I provided a path to the shared folder by
  opening Active Directory Users and Computers, right
  clicking the test user account created from step 1 and
  then clicking properties from the context menu.  On the
  Profile tab, under user profile, I typed the path
  information: \\cork\Home\%username%  where cork is the
  name of the server or domain controller and the %username%
  variable is used instead of typing in the username.
  Step 4 Under Home folder, I clicked Connect, and then
  clicked a network drive e.g. Z:.  In to the To box, I
  typed \\cork\Home\%username% again where cork is the name
  of the server.  Then I clicked OK.
  Step 5 Next, in the console tree of Active Directory Users
  and Computers, I right clicked the domain (CompanyX.com in
  my case) and then clicked properties from the context menu.
  Step 6 On the Group Policy tab, I created a new GPO named
  Folder Redirect Policy, and then clicked Edit.
  Step 7 Under User Configuration, I expanded Windows
  Settings, expanded Folder Redirection, right clicked My
  Documents and then clicked Properties.
  Step 8 In the Setting list, click Basic - Redirect
  everyone's folder to the same location.
  Step 9 Under Target folder Location in the drop down box,
  I selected redirect to the user's Home directory.
  Step 10 On the setting tab, I clicked Redirect the folder
  back to the local user profile location when policy is
  removed.
  Step 11 Finally, I clicked OK
  Step 12 Then I went back to the Group Policy Window in
  Active Directory and moved the Folder Redirect Policy
  above the default domain policy by clicking the uplink
  arrow so that this policy would be given first priority.
  Step 13 Then I clicked Apply and OK.
  Step 14 Then I verified to see if this Folder Redirection
  policy was working or not by logging in using the test
  user account created in the first step.  I logged on to
  the domain using the mhealy test account from a client
  machine running Windows professional.  I right clicked the
  My Documents folder and clicked properties from the
  context menu.  However, with bitter disappointment I
  discovered that the location of My Documents remained the
  same.  This was the usual default location of C:\Document
  and Settings\mhealy\My Documents.  Instead it should have
  read \\cork\Home\mhealy if the policy worked.
  Consequently, I decided to repeat the prcocedure and went
  back to Step 9 above to make a slight alternation.  Under
  Target folder location in the drop down box, I selected
  redirect to a different file location.  Having selected
  this option, I then inserted the UNC path to the home
  directory below by typing \\cork\Home\%username%.  Then I
  clicked OK and place this policy on top like before.
  However, this didn't work either as the location of the
  Documents Folder remained the same.
  As far as I remember, I shared the Home directory on the D
  drive of the server with a sharename of Home.  This is the
  same name as the folder itself.  Maybe, the reason why
  this is not working is because the profile path or home
  directory path are the same or else the method I used to
  create the Home directory is wrong from the instruction
  steps above. I would like to remind you that all the usual
  services such as DHCP and DNS are working on the network.
  I would also like to remind you that any user with a
  domain user account can browse My Network Places, search
  for cork (i.e. the name of the server running Windows 2003
  Server) and locate the Home folder.  Furthermore, the new
  redirection group policy is placed on top in the number
  one position ahead of the default domain policy.  The My
  Documents Folder Redirected Policy is generally regarded
  as being the most common Group Policy.  Anyway, I would
  like to succeed in redirecting the My Documents folders to
  their home directory on the server so that the default
  location of MyDocuments will be changed
  \\cork\Home\username.
  Therefore, I would really appreciate if you could kindly
  offer some technical support on how to redirect the
  MyDocuments folder to the user home directory on the
  server.  My apologies for such a lengthy description of
  the problem but I had to include the laborious steps so
  that any errors can be identified.
  Trusting that you can offer some assistance on this
  problem.
  Thanking You.
  Martin Healy
  Ireland
  Email: martinjahealy@eircom.net
  Tel. 00 353 2647084

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